Panel: The Ethics of Creative Nonfiction... Are There Any?

Gary McDowellFollow

Location

Beaman A&B

Presentation Type

Panel Discussion

Start Date

23-9-2013 3:00 PM

Description

“Write two paragraphs about the kitchen in the house you grew up in.” This is a common prompt for a class in creative nonfiction. We might start with the table and the chairs, the cabinets and the oven, the placemats and the lighting. And then, Mom walks in. Or Grandma. Or Dad. And everything changes. What were they wearing? What did their facial expressions mean? Did they have glasses in 1975? The question emerges: how much do we owe to the truth, our memories, and the likely convergence of the two? What are our responsibilities when we draw on experiences that involve the experiences of others? A panel of students, led by English professor Dr. Gary L. McDowell, will discuss the ethics of writing the “creative truth.”

Comments

Convocation Credit: Academic Lecture

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Sep 23rd, 3:00 PM

Panel: The Ethics of Creative Nonfiction... Are There Any?

Beaman A&B

“Write two paragraphs about the kitchen in the house you grew up in.” This is a common prompt for a class in creative nonfiction. We might start with the table and the chairs, the cabinets and the oven, the placemats and the lighting. And then, Mom walks in. Or Grandma. Or Dad. And everything changes. What were they wearing? What did their facial expressions mean? Did they have glasses in 1975? The question emerges: how much do we owe to the truth, our memories, and the likely convergence of the two? What are our responsibilities when we draw on experiences that involve the experiences of others? A panel of students, led by English professor Dr. Gary L. McDowell, will discuss the ethics of writing the “creative truth.”